Friday, May 31, 2013

Ek Forn Norn

In my previous post, in my Ansuz dream, I am an ancient witch who determines fates, and to whom are relinquished (and from whom are granted) "secret cards" which function (in the dream) as each person's token of destiny, like a package of DNA determines genotype.

The Icelandic phrase, ek forn norn, means I, ancient witch.

The etymology of the word norn is disputed, but it may come from the Swedish word norna (nyrna), a verb that means to "inform secretly".

Norn, in addition to meaning "witch" and "to inform secretly", may also mean "to twine."

My dream is underscoring to me that my Being finds genesis of consciousness beyond the deepest layers of örlög in the Dark Goddess of Old Fate.

So, I think that while many runers may use the phrase ek erilaz in runeworkings, I will use the phrase ek forn norn.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Ansuz - The Witches

Last night's nightly rune drawing - Ansuz, followed by some of last night's dream.

I was found by a man and a woman traveling together from a dark group of witches. I joined up with them. We started out toward the group's school hall and meeting place.

It was dark outside, night time. We walked down I-74, the interstate which runs near where I live. There were no vehicles on the interstate, in any lane, or from any direction.  I laid down in the road while the man conducted some claiming-marking and initiatory ritual over my body as the woman kept watch.

Then we proceeded to the witches school-meeting hall, where witches from all around gathered. I was put into the care of another woman witch at the place and magically groomed, right where I stood in the hall, for the gathering. As I was being groomed, I began shapeshifting where I stood, transforming and growing into my full awesome witch form. Others, both new witches and seasoned witches, started gathering around me as the grooming witch was magically pouring toward me the spell causing me to "show myself," to unfold as the witch I am. They were awed at my form and power.

I stretched, my form levitated, my feet leaving the ground, and I hovered hanging in the air. I looked toward my feet, which were greenish - I had extended long toes and demon-like feet. I felt my fingers were the same, although I didn't look at them. I felt the power of myself course through my body, unfolding my form, I felt the awesomeness of my electrically charged transformation. So did everyone gathered around. I was a very powerful witch. My body was vibrating-trembling ever so slightly, buzzing with the energy of my transformation. The witches gathered around were ohh-ing and ahh-ing with wonder over my transformation.

After this, I pulled back into my "normal witch" form as we all later made our way into the meeting hall for the witches gathering. There were bleacher seats where most of the witches sat, myself included with my two friends, the two who had brought me into the group. The head witches were down at the front and started the meeting. It was time for us to all transform from our normal witch forms into our witchy witch forms for the meeting.

Everyone began their transformation, as did I. Most witches did not levitate, I'm not sure any others did in fact, but when I transformed, my powerful witch form naturally levitated from the power emanating from me. Again, everyone, even in their witch forms, started looking at me, awestruck by the ancient awesomeness I exuded even as I was still transforming. The head witch, her transformation completed, started talking, sounding afraid.

One of my friends, even as I was floating still in the process of transforming (my transformation took longer as it went farther), challenged the head witch's power, exclaiming, "look! here is our Head Witch who will lead us in the right direction!"

I finished my full transformation - I was an extremely tall, ancient witch, my form breathtakingly powerfully. I flew down to the front of the room and put my hand out in the air over the head witch. She disintegrated, leaving only her clothes in a pile on the floor. She was no more. I picked up her secret card and publicized it to the room, that head witch was no more. I was now the Head Witch.

The other witch who had been at the front of the room by the side of the previous head witch was shaking in her chair, fearful of what I would do to her. I went over to her and demanded her secret card. She gave it to me. I publicized it to the gathering of witches, but I told her she would get a new secret card. I didn't disintegrate her like I had the previous head witch, who had taken a turn to lead the group in the wrong direction.

I flew up over the crowd of witches in the bleacher seats, showering out gold blessings over all of them as I flew.

Business was finished and we all began transforming into our normal witch selves. Again, my return to my normal witch form took longer as I had farther to go. I was back up in the bleachers with my friends by a refreshments punch bowl. I was still transforming back, but I still played some magic with my female friend over the punch bowl, each of us shooting waves of magic into the bowl from our fingers, making a green witches' brew punch for everyone to drink as part of the refreshments being served. We were having fun, laughing and playing, making the witches' brew.

My male friend came over and sat by us as we finished making the witches' brew punch. We were laughing from having a good ole time doing this girlie girl magic. He sat down beside me as I wiped over one of my eyes with my hand, which left it surrounded with black like real witches's eyes have. My male friend wiped over my other eye with his hand, leaving it also black like real witches' eyes are. He kissed my eye as he did it, saying to my girl friend, "I brought her in so I could kiss her."

My transformation back into normal my witch self was complete, I was a normal witch again like everyone else.

I woke up. Now, that's an awesome Ansuz witch dream!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Fafnir

what is a baby, small like a dwarf
what also crawls enlightened with knowledge, like the serpent bright

How I Learned to Crawl

from below the Dragon
dark comes forth,
Nidhogg flying
from Nithafjoll;
the bodies of men on
his wings he bears,
the serpent bright ... (translated by Henry Adams Bellows)

I've post this poem (How I Learned to Crawl) before on this blog and old geocities website, but I'm going to post it again, as it bears relevance to the above transformation as described in Voluspa in the Poetic Edda.

when i was a baby, i was left alone
in the middle of the living room floor
unable to crawl
but but i could sit up - yippeee!
and then, curiosity made another move
wondering, what if
i turn this way and that, oops!
what did i do?
looking at the floor wondering how to move
without falling .. falling? what say you?
you knew how to crawl, you knew
how to make all the right moves
lifting my knees, my hands, shifting my weight
with the movements, one after another
until i got the feel of it
and you taught me to crawl
so i would not fall, so i would not fall
so i would not fall
you taught me to crawl

Naudh & the Sacred Tree Bear with a Full Belly

Last night, my nightly rune drawing was naudh. Then I went to sleep.

I dreamt of a brown bear resting on the ground under and leaning against the trunk of a tree outside in my yard. I was cautious and respectful of the bear's power, even though it was not dangerous, for it had a full belly.

Bears are revered by the ancient Saami and by most Northern cultures. In Man, God and Magic, Ivar Lissner writes:

There is an ancient belief that the bear is in communication with the lord of the mountains and with the sky, and certainly he has from time immemorial been surrounded by an aura which enjoins caution and respect.

This informs me that, in follow-up to one of my previous posts (My Saami Self - Gripping the Beast, the Serpent Bright) that Nidhogg has "given up" my past selves to the lord of the mountains, namely, to my fylgja, the giant lord of the mountain, who in this most recent dream has taken on the form of a brown bear. This is good, very good.

To my ancient circumpolar Saami ancestors, to at least one of my selves as a Saami woman, and to many of my Northern European ancestors, Bear was a top totemic representation of Deity and archetypal messenger to and from the supernatural world.

In ancient Saami religion, success in any dangerous endeavor pertaining to survival and abundance, was dependent upon the goodwill of Bear.

The Saami call Bear ìsaivoî (sacred).

Taking all of this together, like my fylgja, Bear mediates between my incarnate self and my Wode Self. Bear, with a full belly sitting against and beneath a tree on the ground in my yard, has "taken up" possession of my previous selves from Nidhogg. Bear is not dangerous to me. Brown Bear is earth-associated, Midgard-associated, and Naudh-associated. Consequently, the knowledge of my previous selves held within the belly of Bear are now stepping forth into open manifestation in my current life in Midgard.

Hail Bear!

Saami Runes and the Tree Serpent

An few interesting tidbits, in follow-up to my previous post ... In an article on Runes and Serpent Worship Among the Saami, I find this:

James Fergusson mentions in the book “Tree and Serpent Worship” (1873) that the Saami still worshiped serpents and trees in the early 1800eds.

and

Even if most objects and monuments of the ancient Saami culture are lost, there is some evidence that support that the Saami used runic scripts since the Iron Age.

On a shale spear point found in Åsele Lappmark (Sweden) there are engraved runes that are dated to 400 – 600 CE and the authors of the following article concludes that they could have been engraved by Saami people.

Monday, May 27, 2013

My Saami Self - Gripping the Beast, the Serpent Bright

Nidhogg is the last of the three great Dragons of the Eddas one encounters during the process of self-integration. Michael Kelly, in Aegishjalmur, the Book of the Dragon Runes writes:

Nidhogg, who lurks at the very deepest root of the World-Tree, gnawing upon it, spewing venom as he consumes the shells of the dead.

Nidhogg is a devourer, a breaker down of aggregates, and in reawakening the essences of your past selves, you are effectively undoing Nidhogg's work, causing the Dragon to regurgitate that which it has devoured.

The author further asks,

What form will this Dragon take?

and continues,

So Nidhogg, the final of the three great Dragons of the North, is the accretion of the debts, the grievances and the unfulfilled desires of your past selves. This is a mighty and worthy foe to conquer. But if you can conquer and subdue the Dragon, gaining the use of those past skills and knowledge, broadening your outlook and your very sense of Self in the process, then this Dragon has one final Gift to offer when brought to heel. Nidhogg is the most dangerous of Dragons, but also the most transformative, for according to the Voluspa, the Seeress' Prophecy in the The Poetic Edda, this Dragon is immortal indeed, surviving Ragnarok.

As I've shared before, my preincarnate forthseeing ends with a vision of brightness and brilliance. I've also shared before that over the course of my life, particularly during the last few decades, I've had repetitive dreams involving ice and snow. In another forum I've specifically shared a bit about one particular series of repetitive dreams I have involving me as an expert ice skater:

My snow/ice dreams are always beautiful. Oftentimes, in my ice dreams, I am a beautiful ice skater flawlessly ice dancing (I don't know how to ice skate in real life) pouring out poetry in motion on the ice. I love these dreams. I can do anything in them. I feel so effortlessly skilled and fully alive.

I've never really decoded these dreams beyond the fact of pertaining to my Northern ancestral heritage. But today I am struck by the flawless skill I employ in these dreams (of a skill I do not in this life possess). My insides are shaking with the realization that these ice skating dreams, where I can do anything I set my mind to do, are not only linking me to my Northern ancestors, but are linking me deeply to one of my past selves. My innards are screaming out - this is my grip on Nidhogg and this realization is my link toward reawakening the full essence of my whole Self, not only as I am in this incarnation, but all of my Self in continuity.

This realization was sparked as I just a few minutes ago researched "Old Norse Witchcraft" which led me to the invention of ice skating by the Saami - the people from whom my ancestral U5b1b1-T16192C! genetic motherline descends. Iceland is one place where I have genetic motherline matches according to Roots for Real (one of the labs where I had my mtDNA analyzed).

Concerning the Saami, in Shamanism and Northern Ecology it is written:

People belonging to the Saami population are mentioned in some of the Icelandic family sagas, in some of the shorter stories about Icelanders called pættir (sg. páttr); in some of the sagas belonging to the genre fornaldarsagas which tell about ancient times in Scandinavia before the rule of the Norwegian king Haraldr hárfagri (Harald finehair); as well as some of the kings' sagas - including sagas of the earls like the Orkneyinga saga; - and in Norwegian chronicles originally written in Latin. Saamis are also mentioned a few times in the Icelandic Lándnamabók, which gives a survey of the settlers and their descendents, and in Icelandic annals. They are also mentioned in poetic literature, in one Eddaic poem, and in a few skaldic stanzas.

In any case, the Saamis in all these sources are viewed from the outside. 

However, the author later continues,

A few texts tell about a marriage between a Saami woman and a Nordic man - in one case the bridegroom is a Saami. In such motifs, the Saami are either the daughter or son of a Saami king (see Ágrip, ch. 3; Haraldz saga ins hárfagra in Heimsrkingla, ch. 25; Hrólfs saga kraka, ch. 24ff; and Volundarkviða).

In a few texts we find descriptions of Saami shamanism (see Vatnsdæla saga, ch. 12; Historia Norvegiae, 16ff.).

The heathen wiseman who announces the coming of a new and better faith is a literary motif in many medieval texts. In Old Norse texts, the role of this heathen wiseman may be held by a Saami (see for instance, Flateyarbók I, 231; Oddr Snorrason munkr: Saga Óláfs Tryggvasonar, ch. 19(13.).

The Saamis' skill in magic is emphasized in a wide range of texts. Motifs describing objects with magic power or strange events caused by magic are often connected with Saamis (see for instance, Flateyarbók II, 372; Óláfs saga ins Helga in Heimskringla, chs. 192 and 228; Hálfdanar saga Eysteinssonar, ch. 20; Ǫrvar Odds saga, chs. 4 and 12; Sturlangs saga starfsama, ch. 12).

The writer goes on to share even more, but then he comes to this gold nugget (as far as I'm concerned):

... in this text there is no sharp distinction between giants and Saamis, the brother of Brúni is said to be a Saami. 

This confusing of Saamis and giants, as well as internarriage at the highest levels of society, is a literary pattern which Gro Steinsland recently has placed in a different light (Steinsland, 1991),

... in a different light in more ways than one, I'll interject ...

and may also shed light on the understanding of the people living within the Old Norse culture regarding to relationship between Saamis and Norwegians.

Adding to this, I also just discovered that ice-skating and bone ice skates were invented by the ancient Saami, my ancestors through my ancestral genetic motherline. In Old Norse texts, a Saami man is called finnr, fiðr or finni. A Saami woman is called a finna or finnkona.

I am simply stunned with delight finding all this new information! First, it is clear to me now that my repetitive dreams about ice skating pertain most specifically to my Saami ancestry and point me to recognize the renowned magical skill of these ancestors of mine.

Second, in one of my past incarnations, I was Saami, and I too possessed this magical skill, executing my skill flawlessly, heroically even. My ice-skating dreams tell me that - in them, I feel able to do anything I set my mind to do.

Third, the recent EF5 tornado synchronicity with events in my life aligns with the lore about my Saami ancestors, in that "strange events caused by magic are often connected with the Saami," as discussed above.

Fourth, I may be descended from Saami royalty, that is, the daughter of a Saami king and queen.

Fifth, my recent "wise jotun" dream, not only links to Vafþrúðnir in the lore, to my fylgja/hamingja/fetch, but to my Saami ancestry as well.

Sixth, my repetitive ice-skating dreams are further linked to my deep ancestry and to one of my former incarnations as a Saami woman. Through these dreams and my realization of their connection to an ancient Self, I am linked to Nidhogg. Through my recognition of this link, I grip the beast, and begin the transformation thus described in Voluspa in the Poetic Edda:

from below the Dragon
dark comes forth,
Nidhogg flying
from Nithafjoll;
the bodies of men on
his wings he bears,
the serpent bright ... (translated by Henry Adams Bellows)

Seventh, the fact that this work of Self-integration was set for this incarnation may indeed be the reason I felt I didn't have the strength do it as described in one of my preincarnate memories - the one where I described my incarnation into this present life, but my fylgja, my giant Self promised to lead me through it, to it! What a wondrous fylgja I have, hail my most dependable fylgja!

The Nature of the Dragon

In follow-up to my previous post, I've just encountered another synchronicity with my friend as mentioned in that post.

A few minutes ago, I picked up one of my new books, Aegishjalmur, the Book of Dragon Runes by Michael Kelly, to begin reading it. Just glancing through it, I came across this:

We will begin dealing with the full initiatory symbolism of the Sigurd / Fafnir myth in the next chapter, taking it to its culmination. But first, it is appropriate to investigate the nature of the Dragon and its attributes a little more closely.

I stopped right there, struck by this. Now, I haven't read anything else in this book yet, but it certainly is another synchronicity in my life that I must record. The most recent dream I've shared has a dragon in it - only the dragon in my dream appeared as a beautiful unicorn-like white horse. This must be the nature of my Dragon. My dragon reminds me of Sleipnir.

Of course, I certainly do remember when my dragon was indeed a fire-breathing blood-curdling wonder, and I imagine many people who have known me for a long time can also remember when it was.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Forspá and Eftirryni

In follow-up to my previous post in which I quote Alice Ogilvie's article on weather magic:


One type of divination is also at work here, the forspá, as supposed to the discovery of hidden knowledge (eftirryni).

Google Translate translates the Norwegian word forspá as bias. Interestingly, another synchronicity of this word with recent events comes to light through this translation. Earlier today, an Etsy and Facebook friend of mine brought up the idea of bias in divination as we chatted through Facebook (she indicated that she wouldn't do divination readings for herself due to her own bias, while I indicated I would never trust the divinations of others for me because all divinations go through the personal lens of the diviner and I only trust for myself readings I do myself).

I'm happy to discover that my Jotun dream divination can be associated with the Icelandic word eftirryni (uncovering hidden knowledge) as opposed to the Norwegian word forspá (biased knowledge).

The Jotun Divination

Interesting. Astrid Ogilvie (Weather and Witchcraft in the Sagas of Icelanders) writes:

There are many accounts of magic spells inflicted through the act of speaking, including chants, libels and insulting phrases (söngvar, ákvæði, áhrinsorð, níð, and fordæðuskapur).  The words of some speakers are charged with a particular power, as in the words of Þorbjörg aided by the Varðlokur recited by Guðríður in Eiríks saga rauða. One type of divination is also at work here, the forspá, as supposed to the discovery of hidden knowledge (eftirryni).

She further writes:

However, witches’ storms could sometimes be ameliorated by equally powerful counter spells.

and:

In the case of Ósvífur and his companions, they are given what might be termed a magical weather warning; but the warning is heeded, and no one suffers serious injury or death. The incident involving weather magic in Laxdæla saga has more serious consequences, however.

I am thinking that this is connected to my dream of the Jotun who did alot of smashing (in which I shared the warning of some event that I could not prevent in the dream) and the recent EF5 tornado in Oklahoma. I'm pretty sure my Jotun dream was meant to communicate hidden information to me.

I didn't conjure up the tornado.

Fornekja & Weather Magic

Wow. In follow-up to my previous post, I'm reading the article where I found the spelling forneskja used to describe the witchcraft I called fornekja (as does Edred Thorsson). The article is about weather magic. A synchronicity with events strikes me about this because of the recent EF5 tornado in Oklahoma (which has been referred to in news reports as causing the worst tornado damage in the history of the world) comes in proximity to my investigations into fornekja and self-initiation into the runic mysteries apart from being thrown off the Rune Gild forums for no good reason as far as I'm concerned.

I'm sure I didn't conjure up that tornado.

Fornekja Vs. Forneskja

In follow-up to my previous post, Edred Thorsson spells the type of witchcraft I've called fornekja - fornekja. I couldn't find fornekja on the regular internet, so I went to Google Scholar and found it (here) spelled forneskja:

The term ‘witch’ itself has a great range of meanings in Old Icelandic, and it is not just one word, but a series of concepts which may be translated as ‘witchcraft’. These are fjölkynngi, fyrnska, and forneskja. The latter two have the connotation of ‘old heathen time’ and ‘old lore’. 

Since Edred Thorsson is an expert in old Germanic and English languages, while the writer of the article (Astrid Ogilvie) is educated more in climatology and environmental research, I'm more inclined to view the proper English spelling to be fornekja.

Still looking into the discrepency in spellings for this word.

Fornekja - Synthesizing Pieces of Meaning

Piecing together the meaning of fornekja (Old Icelandic Witchcraft) ...

forn - old, ancient, former

ek (personal pronoun) - Old Icelandic - I; Old Norse - I

On one Asatruar's webpage called EKJA, the word ekja is equated with the English word edge, and while I'm not sure where his connection to meaning is coming from, clearly there is some precedent beyond myself for equating the word ekja with the word edge. This is an important meaning (as far as I'm concerned) for the word ekja, given the fact that I have already linked this word (through the word forn-ekja) with seeing the shaping of my edges and edges in one of my preincarnate memories.

In Old Norse, the ja suffix was sometimes attached to a stem to denote a masculine agent. In my experience, this ja suffix denotes the attachment of my contrasexual fylgja to me (the I or ek), making the word ek-ja in my experience to reflect the unity of myself with my fylgja. Ekja thus refers to a joint I-fylgja complex of experience (as shared in some of my preincarnate memories).

Ekja (f.) can also mean carrying or carting. Thus, ekja can also refer to both my preincarnate and incarnate conscious experiences of carrying my fylgja with me.

Taking all of this together, the ancient traditional Germanic form of withcraft called fornekja may be legitimately and linguistically connected to the practice of a witch who carries remembrance of an ancient former state of Being which carried her fylgja in experiential consciousness even as her edges were being shaped.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Secret Circle - 6 Hereditary Lines of Fornekja

The Secret Circle - A Circle of 6 Hereditary Lines

In follow-up to my previous few posts, I note that the tv show I watched last night was one in a series called The Secret Circle. Though about a group of teenage witches, it indeed contains alot of interesting information about some form of witchcraft - particularly, some form of witchcraft intimately connected to who I am.

In this series called The Secret Circle, the idea featured significantly in the plot is that a complete circle consists of 6 witches (from 6 hereditary family lines of witchcraft). Interestingly, my secret circle, my birth rune (my ancestral inheritance), consists of 6 lines which complete the circle (othala)! These are the 6 hereditary lines of witchcraft, the natural witchcraft of my ancestors called Fornekja.

Beyond the Boundaries of the Universe - The Master Game - Able

Hagalaz - Beyond the Boundaries of the Universe

In follow-up to my previous post, after falling asleep early this morning, I dreamt. Though many of the details have faded, this is what I jotted down about the ending of the dream:

I was in a house with many rooms, being "chased" (of sorts) from room to room as I was trying to avoid being poisoned by someone on the outside. The person (or persons had some kind of paternal grandfather connection) and at one point, slipped worms into the carpet of the dining room through sliding glass patio doors. I saw what he did and didn't step into that room to be infected by the worms. Instead, I went into the living room and walked toward the front door which was locked.

The grandfatherly poisoner was coming toward the front door, but I "busted out" through the front door into an entirely new larger building of rooms, leaving him behind outside the little house. There were others and other families in this larger building also going room to room, being "chased" (sort of, but not in an aggressively dangerous sort of way).

A dragon (which actually looked like a beautiful white horse or unicorn) from outside one window in one room "came into" the room through the (paneless) window with us. Many were afraid, but someone said the dragon was not dangerous. It came up to me as I faced it and just looked at me, then it went back to its place outside the window. I felt it's evaluation and approval of me. I felt stamped with a seal of approval by it through its gaze.

We all came to the final room. Outside the big paneless picture window was a great dark void. We were standing at the boundaries of the Universe. Outside the window, the dark space was a charged magical void (ginnungagap). Directly in front of us but outside the paneless window, was a sort of "desk island" or station that was "tethered" to the room structure in which we were standing - this station was the last possible place to go to see and yet still be able to return to the current structure. I had the feeling that going beyond that, by jumping into the magical void, one would either "dissolve" one's individual consciousness or remain whole of individual consciousness for a new incarnation.

Some were afraid, and wanted to "just see" what would happen if someone was pushed out the window. Someone pushed out an older woman and she fell into the magical void. We couldn't see what happened to her. The only way to find out, was to go out the picture window oneself.

We were all waiting for our medical test results to see if it would be safe to go outside into the magical void, either to the tethered station or to jump into it completely. A medical worker came into the room with everyone's tests results. I was handed mine. On the front of the envelope was my name - Lori Lappin.

I opened it. Being a medical professional myself, I noticed that some of my results were beyond the bounds of "normal" range. As I was looking at my results, the medical professional who had delivered my results watched me and spoke to me as I was mentally noting the values of mine which were beyond the bounds of normal - she said my results were "very good," dispelling any idea that these "not normal" values might be a bad thing. In fact, my results were very good because of the values which were beyond the range of "normal."

I had been a single person not part of the nuclear families in the room with me, but I then became aware of my mate (fylgja) beside me. He was still not sure that it would be safe for us to go outside the paneless window fully into the magical void or out to the tethered station (from which we could still return back to our current structure (incarnation). He communicated to me his thought that even though I was a whole cosmic seed, we might remain stuck in that state and remain like that forever. But I knew, I just knew, and said to him, "you expand it." We would not remain stuck like that or dissolve - we would reincarnate whole again. I knew if we jumped out the window, we would take off our current forms and be reborn whole of individual consciousness again, because I was strong enough to hold us together, and he was strong enough to expand us from our cosmic seed. We are strong enough, we are able.

I woke up.

Interestingly, in the same tv show I watched last night between my previous Fornekja post and my Birth Rune post, another synchronicity occurred in that episode - in my dream was featured a magical tether (just as was featured a dance called Fire and Ice) - my Universe finds ways to teach me.

My Birth Rune

Hagall / Hagalaz

An interesting synchronicity to note in follow-up to tonight's earlier post which brought out the association of fornekja (traditional Icelandic witchcraft, the word which translates as "old one") to my experience of Being and preincarnate memories. My nightly rune drawing just a few minutes ago was Hagall.

The rune Hagall has this rune poem associated with it:

(Hagall) es kaldastr korna;
Kristr skop heim inn forna.

Forna, in this rune poem, means "olden times" and is written within the context of the world being shaped, similar to the way in which my memories pertain to the shaping of "my world" of experience. One of my memories even directly pertains to seeing my "edges and edges" being shaped.

This is simply awesome . I remember reading or hearing something in passing (don't know the source) about each person having a birth rune - I am wondering if Hagall is my birth rune.

Another interesting synchronicity is that in between writing my previous post and the rune drawing, I watched a tv show in which was featured (as a small part in the story plot) a high school dance called "Fire and Ice." In the Elder Futhark, Hagalaz (corresponding to Hagall of the Younger Futhark) holds in its form wholeness both fire and ice. Hagalaz is the ninth number in the Elder Futhark and is the rune (according to Runelore by Edred Thorsson) "in which all runes are held." Nine is the number associated with Odin's obtaining of the runes while hanging upon Yggdrasil.

I too have been hung upon Yggdrasil, just like Odin. All of the runes are in me.

I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows
from where its roots run
[Havamal 137]

Fornekja - Icelandic Natural Witchcraft

Fornekja, which means "old one", is Icelandic witchcraft and one form of traditional Icelandic magic. Specially, fornekja is a natural type of witchcraft linked to the idea of having "deep archaic roots in time" which confer operative magical power to the practitioner.

Fornekja - this is the type of witchcraft I most truly practice. This is the kind of witch I am. I don't yet know the Icelandic word for a female practitioner of this type of witchcraft, so if anyone reading my blog does know, please share.

According to Roots for Real (one lab where I had one of my mtDNA ancestral genetic motherline tests performed) found 16 matches for my mtDNA - one of them was in Iceland.

Ancestral genetic motherline match for me in Iceland.

I've shared many poems and stories on this blog pertaining to my preincarnate (archaic) memories which stretch back to the ginnungagap (magically charged void in Scandinavian cosmoloy). This is one of those poems.

and reflecting then
on the thought, shaking my tail
vowing remembrance

of my own story
through the fire river around
the world I came in

remembering back
before, how I can I tell it
my whole story, how

contemplating how
feeling this what, suddenly
who, is here with me

asks from the head who
around in circles I turn
unwinding myself

turning turning I
looking I pause to do what
who is here with me

in this darkest place
cool water in night, winding
around me your voice

spiraling about
binding me up speaking some
what say you to me

I trying turning
looking pausing to hear you
what say who to me

where have you rested
in wait for me, only me
you waiting for me

struggling down through worlds
into edges of edges
hearing your voice call

me into being
binding me about voicing
here I am, I am

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Thussaraun & Self-Initiation into the Runic Mysteries

Nú era Háva mál, kveðin Háva höllu í
allþörf ýta sonum, óþörf jötna sonum
heill sá er kvað, heill sá er kann
njóti sá er nam, heilir þeirs hlýddu
[Havamal 164]

THUSSARAUN (meaning "initiatory test") is linked (in the traditional rune poem known as Malrunakenningar) to an ancient proto-etin (proto-giant) called Fornjotur and to the rune Thurisaz (also known as Thurs in the Younger Futhark).

In Havamal 164, the word óþörf releases the powerful initiatory energy of the THUSSARAUN. The transliteration of the word óþörf into Younger Futhark runes is ᚢᚦᛆᚢᚱᚠ (ur-thurs-ar-ur-reidh-fe).

Looking at the runes which formulate the whole word (óþörf), the first ur and the ar-ur surrounding the thurs (thurisaz in the Elder Futhark) can be seen as strengthening the thurs, while the last letters reidh-fe make the strengthened thurs both mobile and increased. How the thurs plays out into the life of the initiate is solely dependent upon how the individual handles the thurs rune.

A powerful but potentially dangerous rune, thursiaz/thurs means thorn and conjures up preconscious aggressive chaotic forces, both in the being of the initiate and in the cosmos. Consequently, this is a dangerous rune to invoke, but this is the rune which must be successfully managed and its energy controlled to enter into the deep mysteries of the runes.


My newest candle THUSSARAUN has been handcrafted for ritual self-initiation into the runic mysteries.

Powerfully evocative, handcrafted with premium all natural paraffin wax and pure cotton wick, THUSSARAUN features the emblematic colors of the Teutonic peoples (white, red and black), is generously scented with Saturn-associated Mimosa (and more), herb charged with the 9 sacred herbs of Northern Tradition Witchcraft (Mugwort, Plantain, Nettle, Fennel, Chamomile, Chervil, Watercress, Crabapple Wood and Viper's Bugloss), painted with 9 hand painted rune-red thurisaz runes, and wrapped with black and red suede leather adorned with a silver metal Thor's lightning bolt (to aid you toward control) charm.

Thussaraun Pillar Blot Candle

2013 Summer Candles Showcase

New video ad for my shoppe, Witchcrafts Artisan Alchemy ...

Monday, May 20, 2013

What is Hamingja?

What is Hamingja? Temple Illuminatus describes hamingja this way:

At its most basic, this is a person’s luck. More specifically, it is “family luck”, meaning that it is is inherited through the family line. Hamingja affects our wyrd. Rather than luck, which is generally how it is described by most authors, it may be better to think of it as personal spiritual energy, given to each one of us, through inheritance, going back to the original first people created by Odin.

Hamingja is sensitive to one’s actions in this lifetime. Righteous action has a positive effect upon a person’s hamingja, and feeds their energy. One’s hamingja can also be strengthened by daily devotions and other personal rituals. The rituals of the Year Wheel, so common to European pagan practice will also strengthen our personal luck reserves, as will living with the seasons. Energy raising activities such as blots, sumbels, and galdr can turbocharge your Hamingja for a little while – so can initiations. These are the spiritual equivalent of a dose of Red Bull.

As you go through life, be aware of hamingja, because its existence with your wyrd and ond is symbiotic. We will all screw up and do some rotten things from time to time. That is simply life. When we consciously strive to increase our hamingja by living true and by accepting responsibility for our actions, we will find that those trips off the path will occur less and less, as we attract better and better into our lives.

Worst Tornado Damage in the History of the World

A CBS meteorologist reports that the monstrous EF4 tornado which leveled Moore, Oklahoma earlier today has caused "the worst tornado damage in the history of the world." At least 24 children are believed dead.

CBS News reports:

MOORE, Okla. (CBS Houston/AP) — A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. At least 51 people were reported killed, according to CBS News.

KFOR-TV reports that up to 24 children are believed dead at the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore and that it has turned into a search and recovery effort.

Authorities expected the death toll to rise as emergency crews moved deeper into the hardest-hit areas.

KFOR meteorologist Mike Morgan called this “the worst tornado damage in the history of the world.”

Read the full story here. May those who mourn be comforted.

UPDATE 5/22 - CNN reports "Damage assessments showed the tornado had winds over 200 mph at times, making it an EF5 -- the strongest category of tornadoes measured, the National Weather Service said."

Runic Transformation of Ubilaz

Ubilaz is a proto-Germanic word typically translated as evil. Etymologically, ubilaz is thought to come from the "Proto-Indo-European root *wep- (bad), making it cognate with Old Irish fel (bad), Hittite  (huwap(p)-/hup(p)-, to mistreat)." Alternatively, ubilaz may come from the "Proto-Indo-European *upélos (evil, literally "going over or beyond (acceptable limits)"), from Proto-Indo-European *upo, *up, *eup (down, up, over)."

One website describes the concept of evil:

Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing, discrimination designed to harm others, humiliation of people designed to diminish their psychological needs and dignity, destructiveness, and acts of unnecessary and/or indiscriminate violence that are not legitimate acts of self-defense but aggressive and designed to cause ill-being to others. 

Transliterated into Younger Futhark runes, ubilaz is spelled:

ur-bjarken-iss-logr-ar-sol -

A master over evil can take the runes and runic energies which comprise this word, break them apart, and transform the letter-energy into anything she or he desires, thereby nullifying the evil through transformation. As the old saying goes, would that good had the singleminded power of evil!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Makenzie

My youngest grandchild, my precious granddaughter Makenzie.

Makenzie

Friday, May 17, 2013

U5b* Dukes, Kings & Queens

I have no idea if any of the U5b* people below are directly related to me through my ancestral genetic motherline, but I thought I'd share this for any others who might be interested in this Germanic genetic information.

Kings & Queens of Germany


Elisabeth of Bavaria (c. 1227-1273) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Elizabeth of Carinthia (1262-1312) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Frederick the Fair, Duke of Austria and King of Germany (1289-1330) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Joanna of Bavaria, Queen of Germany and Bohemia (c. 1362–1386) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Albert II of Germany (1397-1439) => U5b* (mtDNA)

Dukes/Kings & Queens of Bavaria

Louis II, Duke of Bavaria (1229-1294) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Henry XIII, Duke of Bavaria (1235-1290) => U5b* (mtDNA)
William II, Duke of Bavaria, Count of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut (1365–1417) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Albert II (1369-1397) => U5b* (mtDNA)
John III, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, Count of Holland and Hainaut (1374/76-1425) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria-Landshut (1417-1479) => U5b* (mtDNA)

Dukes/Kings & Queens of Bohemia

Boleslaus II the Pious (920-999) => H (mtDNA)
Henry VI of Carinthia (c. 1270–1335) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Rudolf I of Habsburg (1282-1307) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Joanna of Bavaria (c. 1362–1386) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Albert II of Germany (1397-1439) => U5b* (mtDNA)
Elisabeth of Bohemia (1409–1442) => T2 (mtDNA)
Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary (1456-1516) => T2 (mtDNA)
Anne of Bohemia and Hungary (1503-1546) => H (mtDNA)
Elizabeth Stuart (1596-1662) => T2 (mtDNA)
Ferdinand IV of Bohemia and Hungary (1633-1654) => H (mtDNA)
Maria Amalia of Austria (1701-1756) => N1b (mtDNA)
Maria Luisa of Spain (1745-1792) => N1b (mtDNA)

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Óþörf & the Mighty Thurs

In follow-up to my previous entry, the word used in Havamal 164 (commonly translated as both un-needed or woe) is óþörf.

The transliteration of óþörf into Younger Futhark runes is ᚢᚦᛆᚢᚱᚠ (ur-thurs-ar-ur-reidh-fe).

Looking at the runes which formulate the whole word (óþörf), the first ur and the ar-ur surrounding the thurs could be seen as strengthening the thurs, while the last letters reidh-fe make the strengthened thurs both mobile and increased. So, looking at the runes of the word this way makes a case for seeing the word as potentially curse-like and whether or not it actually plays out that way is wholly dependent upon how one handles the thurs rune. The runes themselves make the case for the word carrying a potentially curse-like energy, as opposed to merely the "woe" translation making the case.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Havamal 164

My thoughts on Havamal 164 (translation source):

Now the sayings of the High One are uttered in the hall
for the weal of men, for the woe of Jötuns,
Hail, thou who hast spoken! Hail, thou that knowest!
Hail, ye that have hearkened! Use, thou who hast learned!

The first line refers to the actuality of a creative utterance being put forth, the act forthspeaking that which follows.

The second line is both a blessing and a curse, the specific one actualized in any particular person's life wholly dependent upon the intent of the one listening - a blessing for those seeking evolution of consciousness, or a curse for those seeking to cause disruption or harm.

The second and third lines are the delivery system ... the speaker is first judged, those who are most evolved are judged next, those who are more evolved are judged after that, and then those who are evolved are judged. In other words, the blessing/curse manifestly flows from top to bottom. The word, "use" seals the utterance against influence from outside interference and acts as a portal into the realm of Midgard.

Definitions:

delivery system - words which function to move the raised energy from potentiality (unmanifest) to actuality (manifestation)

judged - point where the intent of the individual is determined by structures and thoughtforms present in the soul of the individual; the person's own soul structure, coupled with acquired complexes, makes that determination in natural consequence to and in congruence with his/her own past and present actions, feelings, thoughts, etc. (whether concealed or revealed). In note, a curse can also function to make adjustments in the soul, much like experiencing the mystical Dark Night of the Soul.

evolved - more consciously aware and attuned to one's Wode-self

Links In A Mystery Chain

Mystery Chain Rune Equation in Elder & Short Twig Younger Futhark Runes
How I envision the connection between Othala (inherited ancestral Tradition, in my mind) and Arfr (ᛆᚱᚠᚱ), that is, Tradition as linguistically encoded in Old Norse:

                           ᛃ
Othala ---> Runa ---> Arfr
                          ᛆᛆ

Othala (ᛟ) in form seems to me to be of a feminine essence or androgynous (and wholly transcendent).

Runa (ᚱᚢᚾᛆ) is the partially hidden, yet active feminine principle transmitter (activated as opposed to active transcendence in Ur mixed with immanence). Runa orders or arranges that to be transmitted in the Underworld, draws it up into superconsciousness, rains it down into consciousness, and returns, passing it to Arfr.

Arfr (ᛆᚱᚠᚱ Old Norse for transcendent Ancestral Tradition as a opposed Sithr or customs ) is the active male principle transmitter (actively immanent).

The Younger Futhark rune Ar (ᛆ) is given to be descended from the Elder Futhark rune Jera (ᛃ). The rune Ar at the end of Runa and at the beginning of Arfr could reflect the individuation of Jera into two runes Ar. The individuation of Jera into the two runes Ar could be seen as "the reward for the actions of the past" as Edred Thorsson writes in Northern Magic, making the point of transmission from Runa to Arfr a point of judgment for good or bad such that the rune Naudh (ᚾ) in Runa could represent the critical turning point in the process from transcendence into immanent manifestation.

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Geno 2.0 - My Ancestral U5b1b1 Motherline Regional Heatmap

This map in my Geno 2.0 results from National Geographic's Genographic Project shows where my U5b1b1 ancestral genetic motherline mtDNA haplogroup is found in high concentration. My motherline mtDNA haplogroup is found in highest concentration in the lands of the Saami of Northern Artic Europe. Geno 2.0 doesn't analyze mtDNA in as detailed a fashion as does Family Tree DNA (through whom I had my mtDNA fully sequenced) - my more detailed ancestral genetic motherline is actually U5b1b1-T16192C! - the genetic "Saami signature."

My Saami mtDNA Hg is concentrated in Northern Artic Europe.

Geno 2.0 - My Archaic Hominid Ancestry

"The Neanderthal percentages presented in the Who Am I? section of Geno 2.0 results were calculated using a sophisticated analytical method. We continue to refine this method, and for this reason your result may change slightly over time as we make improvements. Thanks for helping us to better understand our shared ancestry with these hominid cousins, and for becoming a part of the Geno 2.0 extended family."

"The Denisovan component of your Geno 2.0 results is the most experimental, as we are still working to determine the best way to assess the percentage Denisovan ancestry that you carry. Don’t be surprised if your percentage Denisovan changes over time—this is a result of our team refining the analytical method we use to calculate it. The evolution of this data is just another way you are actively involved in helping advance knowledge of anthropological genetics!"

My Archaic Hominid Ancestry

Geno 2.0 - My Autosomal SNP Genetic Profile Most Closely Matches Modern Germans

My autosomal SNP genetic results from National Geographic's Genographic Project using the cutting edge science Geno 2.0 test kit:

Of all world reference populations, my overall autosomal SNP genetic profile most closely matches the profile of the modern German population. I expected to match the modern English population most closely genetically, but I don't. So, while my top match for deep ancestry locates to Sweden (by autosomal STR analysis), the modern population I match most closely according to National Geographic (by autosomal SNP analysis) is the German population.

My Top Population Matches

Monday, May 06, 2013

My Celtic Anglo-Saxon Germanic Nordic Saami Ethnicity

This article (Myths of British Ancestry) suggests that most people with ancestors from England are primarily descended from aboriginal Basques, rather than from the Celts, Anglo-Saxons or Vikings.

Everyone has heard of Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. And most of us are familiar with the idea that the English are descended from Anglo-Saxons, who invaded eastern England after the Romans left, while most of the people in the rest of the British Isles derive from indigenous Celtic ancestors with a sprinkling of Viking blood around the fringes.

Yet there is no agreement among historians or archaeologists on the meaning of the words “Celtic” or “Anglo-Saxon.” What is more, new evidence from genetic analysis indicates that the Anglo-Saxons and Celts, to the extent that they can be defined genetically, were both small immigrant minorities. Neither group had much more impact on the British Isles gene pool than the Vikings, the Normans or, indeed, immigrants of the past 50 years.

The genetic evidence shows that three quarters of our ancestors came to this corner of Europe as hunter-gatherers, between 15,000 and 7,500 years ago, after the melting of the ice caps but before the land broke away from the mainland and divided into islands. Our subsequent separation from Europe has preserved a genetic time capsule of southwestern Europe during the ice age, which we share most closely with the former ice-age refuge in the Basque country.

Despite that many of English ancestry may be primarily descended from aboriginal Basques, my autosomal STR genetic results indicate that relatively less of my genetic makeup comes from the Basques. Instead, my primary gene pool comes from the Celts, Belgae (Gallo-Germanic tribes), Germanic, Norse and Italian - only then comes a Basque genetic contribution. Consequently, it looks to me that the Ice Age refuge for many of my ancestors may have been more toward the Italian peninsula than toward Basque country. Notably, the Anglo-Saxons originated in Northern Germany, northern Netherlands and southern Scandinavia.

Lands of the Angles and Saxons

Taking all of this together, and given that my mtDNA genetic (U5b1b1-T16192C!) ancestral motherline is aboriginal Saami from Northern Arctic Europe, it looks to me that the indigenous population of Northern Europe constitutes my primary genetic origins more so than does an indigenous Iberian population. Also, I think my autosomal STR genetic results shown below demonstrate that I have significant Anglo-Saxon and Viking ancestry, despite that many "English" people may have a greater overall Basque ancestral contribution than I do. This of course, does not negate the fact that the indigenous Basques (who may also be genetically linked to the Trojans as are thought to be the Swedish Vikings) are also my ancestors.

My DNA Tribes Europa Region Autosomal STR Results

*Celtic (0.95) 921,899.01
*Belgic (0.95) 559,522.46
*Germanic (0.94) 495,966.75
*Norse (0.93) 419,887.28
*Italian (0.94) 318,722.69

Basque (0.81) 313,736.10
Balkan (0.91) 239,382.75
Polish (0.91) 230,188.26
Russian (0.88) 190,356.19
Spanish (0.84) 122,269.92
Finnic (0.91) 92,306.35
Portuguese (0.81) 80,883.71
Thracian (0.85) 41,232.14
*Urals (0.94) 32,020.30
Scythian (0.67) 30,707.03
Greek (0.84) 17,991.77
Ashkenazic (0.52) 10,512.21

Importantly, the Eurogenes K9 chromosome painting taking into account all of the genes on all my chromosomes (as opposed to looking at specific genetic markers as does autosomal STR anaylsis) supports that most of my genetic contribution comes from Northern Europe (as opposed to Southern Europe / Mediterranean).

K9 Chromosome Painting of My Genetic Makeup

Saturday, May 04, 2013

My Swedish-Trojan Root

My Deep Ancestry - Autsomal STR Result

According to my autosomal STR DNA results (which consider both maternal and paternal ancestry comprehensively) obtained through DNA Tribes, my deep ancestral root localizes to southern Sweden as shown above in one of the graphical results I received from DNA Tribes. So, from where do these Swedes, among which my deep ancestors are counted, come from?

This article suggests we came from ancient Troy:
There are numerous geographical studies, archaeological findings, historical accounts and written evidences which confirm much of Scandinavian history. Most of the written history begins after 600 AD. There is strong evidence that Swedish predecessors were an aggressive refugee "boat-people" who first came from the ancient city of Troy. Located in northwest Asia Minor (present-day northwest Turkey), the ruins of Troy were discovered in 1870. Troy (or Troi) existed over 4000 years, and was known as a center of ancient civilizations. Its inhabitants were known as Trojans (or Thracians) in the period beginning about 3000 BC, which began by an "invasion of sea peoples" according to the Egyptians. The Trojans were early users of iron weapons, and rode horses. Evidence shows the city of Troy suffered through several wars with Greek and Egyptian armies. Troy was finally laid in ruins about 1260 BC by the Greeks, leaving the city completely devastated, which is verified by the fact that the city was vacated to about 700 BC.

Remaining about 70 years after the war, an estimated 30,000 Trojans/Thracians (called Dardanoi by Homer, Anatolians by others) abandoned the city of Troy, as told by various sources (Etruscan, Merovingian, Roman and later Scandinavian). The stories corroborate the final days of Troy, and describe how, after the Greeks sacked the city, the remaining Trojans eventually emigrated. Over half of them went up the Danube river and crossed over into Italy, establishing the Etruscan culture, the dominating influence on the development of Rome, and then battling the Romans for regional dominance. The remaining Trojans, mainly chieftons and warriors, about 12,000 in all, went north across the Black Sea into the Mare Moetis or "shallow sea" where the Don river ends (Caucasus region in Southern Russia), and established a kingdom about 1150 BC, which the Romans called Sicambria. The locals named these Trojan conquerors the "Iron people", or the Aes. The Aes (also Aesar, Aesir, Æsir or Asir) built their famous fortified city Aesgard or Asgard, also described as "Troy in the north." Various other sources collaborate this, saying the Trojans landed on the eastern shores with their superior weaponry, and claimed land. The area became known as Asaland (Land of the Aesir) or Asaheim (Home of the Aes).

The Asir people dominated the area around the Sea of Azov for nearly 1000 years before moving north around 90 BC. The time of their exodus from the Caucasus region, and their arrival at the Baltic Sea in Scandinavia, has been supported by several scholars and modern archaeological evidence. As told by Snorri Sturluson (a 13th century Nordic historiographer) and confirmed by other evidence, the Asir felt compelled to leave their land to escape Roman invasions by Pompeius and local tribal wars. The aggressive war-like Indo-European nomadic Trojan Asir tribes came north, moving across Europe, bringing all their weapons and belongings on the rivers of Europe in their boats. The Asir were divided into several groups that in successive stages emigrated to their new Scandinavian homeland. Entering the Baltic Sea region, they sailed north to the Scandinavian shores, only to meet stubborn Germanic tribes. The prominent Germanic tribes in the region were the Gutar, also known as the Guta, Gutans, Gotarne or Goths by Romans. These Germanic tribes were already known to the Asir, as trade with the Baltic areas was well established prior to 100 BC.

The immigrating Asir had many clans, and the most prominent were their Eril warriors or the "Erilar" (meaning "wild warriors"). The Asir sent Erilar north as seafaring warriors to secure land and establish trade. The clans of Erilar (also called Jarlar, Eruls or Heruls by Romans) enabled the Asir clans (later called Sviar, Svea, Svear or Svioner by Romans) to establish settlements throughout the region, but not without constant battles with the Goths and other immigrating Germanic tribes. The Heruls eventually made peace with the Goths who ruled the region. The Svear population flourished, and the Heruls and Goths formed a powerful military alliance of well-known seafarers.

To read the full article, click the link aobve.

My Seax

My Seax

I really love the rustic simple beauty of this little knife. My seax is made out of 1095 high carbon tooling steel and hand forged in a coal forge. It has a 3-1/4 " blade. The handle has two twists in it and is rolled and the end. The knife is 7-5/8" long and treated with bee wax.

Friday, May 03, 2013

Vafþrúðnir & Odin - Outwitting Fate

I've been trying to figure out why my fetch/fylgja/hamingja might have appeared as a Jotun in my dream the other night. Following threads of investigation, I've discovered that there is evidence that Jotnir can be Traditionally associated with one's hamingja - evidence for this exists in Vafþrúðnismál, the third poem of the Poetic Edda. This poem largely discusses the battle of wits between Odin and the wise Jotun Vafþrúðnir whose name means "mighty weaver" in ON, linking this battle of wits to the idea of trying to outwit one's Fate as woven by the Norns. In the poem, Odin ultimately outwits the "mighty weaver", suggesting that Odin indeed has overturned his Fate to become the weaver of his own Fate.

Taking all of this together, I am identifying the Jotun in my dream with Vafþrúðnir, and my dream as one pertaining to my own relationship to Fate. Interestingly, my encounter with Vafþrúðnir did not result in my death. I left my dream alive.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Jotun Fetch

In follow-up to my previous entry, trying to figure out the identity of the earth/mountain jotun in my dream last night, I came across this which might suggest that it may be related to my fylgja-fetch-hamingja, as right before bed last night I read a ritual about contacting my fetch.

In “Vafthruthnismál”:49, the hamingjur are Jotun-maidens, possibly to be identified with the Norns ... source - http://www.hrafnar.org/articles/dpaxson/norse/hyge-craeft/


I am wondering if there are any other instances in the Traditional lore where one's fetch-flygja-hamingja is identified as being a jotun (of any kind)?

Earth-Mountain Jotun Near Encounter

Before going to bed last night, I read a ritual concerning contacting one's fetch. Then, last night, I dreamt.

I was driving my car carrying 3 other passengers. I'm not sure who my passengers were, but the two in the back seat were female. The third one in the front passenger seat was more known to me, but I neither know who the person was, nor if male or female.

I had turned northwest off a valley interstate highway, went up an exit-off ramp, and pulled into a gas station-pantry to refuel and for everyone to get drink and food nourishment for continuing the trip north. The gas station sat at the top of a high hill, a little bit back away from the road. The interstate below was in a valley plain, and in the distance behind the interstate were rocky sand-colored mountains.

I got something (a fruit smoothie or some kind of juice, I think) to drink, although I think there was a bit of disagreement as to what kind of nourishment I should get - there was a low level argument between the two back seat passengers. I'm not exactly sure what their argument was about because I ignored them and just got what I wanted. They got whatever it was they wanted and we headed back to my car.

Back at the car, I wasn't comfortable transporting something one of them had put as baggage into the trunk of my car, so I opened the trunk up and took out whatever it was I found to be objectionable and dangerous to transport. Again, I'm not sure what it was, but whatever it was, I took it out and discarded it. The women balked a bit, but it was my car.

After discarding the objectionable baggage, closing the car trunk, I was facing toward the interstate back from where we had come. The interstate and exit-off ramp were full of cars and other vehicles. Suddenly, I saw a male figured sand-color rocky giant charging across the valley towards the off ramp from which we had just exited a short time before. I felt no danger that the giant would come up the hill to where we were, but it was clearly crushing vehicles as it strode across the valley towards the exit-off ramp.

I tried to yell and warn the people in the vehicles on and entering the exit-off ramp about the giant, but they neither saw the giant nor heard me. The giant raised its fist in the air and crashed down on top of the cars on the exit-off ramp, crushing them.

I woke up.

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Furi Fire Rune Poem - Gripping Beast

One of the triadic names of the rune Fehu, is Furi (fire). From my old geocities website - Instrument, now also Gripping Beast

thirst

heart and soul and might
all of it, one instrument
off the edge
gripped within
simple strokes uncoiling
something essential, something true
crazy, insane
wild
a serpent song, a scorpion tale
stringing through dark dark sounds
of a brilliant lovestory

quick!
catch it!

Ingwaz Rune Poem - Presence By The River

From my old geocites website - Presence By The River, now also an Ingwaz Rune Poem

walking thinking sitting contemplating
thoughtless restless meandering crazy light
I am
looking down upon the waters
flowing through life, quiet solitude covering
like warm mud between my toes, humming busy bees nearby
once a sad river breeze, my hair flowing in tune
thoughtless restless meandering crazy light
I am
smelling sound soft in the air
presence all around
among the reeds and grasses and whispering leaves
shadows of time playing in the mind
conceived, coming down
quiet river breathing, destiny shining, emptiness bursting full
curious creature is the mysterious living creature
I am
full of folly, wonderful folly
like warm mud between my toes, tapping a chaotic rhythm
because, just because I can
thoughtless restless meandering crazy light
because, just because
I am

Nauthiz Rune Poem - Dawn in the Forest

Reworked from my old geocities website - Dawn in the Forest.

remember, I remember
when living dreams lived, like primeval mists rising
unbeckoned, natural, songs on the wind
the world, beautiful, once, once when
when you, everthere in my shadow
in the whisper breathing, with my ear
there, there were you
wherever, wherever my foot found to walk
there, there were you
once, once
I remember
there were you, with me, behind me, beside me
I in your shadow, walking, talking soft as a thought
gently, truly, dawning life, laughing notes of delight
wonder, the wonders evernew, and there
there were you, soothing like dawn
a melody playing, softly in the forest swaying
there were you
where, tell me where, where
are you

Dare to be true to yourself.